This article reviews the historical context in which Canadian legislation and policy for children with special needs has evolved. The potential for the rights of students with special needs in light of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is outlined. The role of the Federal and Provincial governments in legislation and policy vis-à-vis…

This is the second of two papers on the policy issues of early childhood development programs that were prepared especially for state, local, and federal government officials throughout the country. The first paper presented the problem of early childhood poverty and its consequences, and described how high quality early childhood development…

Mississippi continues to lead the nation in excessive infant deaths, as shown by the 1984 infant mortality rate of 14.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. This report offers recommendations for actions that should be taken by various entities to rectify the problem. Recommendations are made in the areas of (1) public awareness of teen pregnancy…

This report is a comparative analysis of the administration and implementation of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs in 32 local school districts in 8 states (un-named). The goal of the study was to explain and understand the major and diverse aspects of administrative behavior at the three levels of Title I program management…

The four sections of this final report, which follow the initial executive summary, present outcomes of Massachusetts' 2-year effort to strengthen and expand high quality, affordable day care services. Section I focuses on the supply of and demand for day care services in the state. Section II explores aspects of public and private partnerships,…

In the course of developing and passing the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984, those behind the legislative effort observed that several factors affect successful educational reform. First, reform must be comprehensive. The 1984 act has provisions relating to academic standards, basic skills, instructional improvement,…

Options for states in addressing questions relating to use of the Title III dislocated worker program of the Job Training Partnership Act are discussed. Two broad subjects are emphasized: short-term actions for aiding workers and communities suffering from economic dislocation and longer-term strategies to integrate displaced worker employment and…

Enactment of South Carolina's Education Improvement Act of 1984 taught several lessons about successful education reform. The law provides for raising student performance by increasing academic standards; strengthening the teaching and testing of basic skills; elevating the teaching profession; improving leadership, management, and fiscal…

In recent years, the interest in how children spend their out-of-school time has resulted in program development projects at the local and state level and has influenced state and federal policymakers to propose legislation supportive of school-age child care programs. Gubernatorial and legislative efforts have succeeded in several states.…

The diminishing role of the federal government in rural development has created an opportunity for new initiatives in this area. One potentially useful response is the creation of a state-rural policy center. Such centers can combine the efforts of land grant institutions, extension services, and state universities in the development and…

This document contains papers that discuss (1) the role of the Federal Government in educational finance; (2) some proposals for full State funding of schools; (3) the implications for educational finance of recent State court decisions invalidating inequitable State school finance systems; (4) State plans for financing public schools; and (5)…

The International Joint Commission report builds on a previous report to the Governments of the United States and Canada that recommended the Great Lakes (GL) States and Provinces incorporate the GL ecosystem as a priority topic in existing school curricula. This report begins by building an argument showing the need for environmental education…

In this era of constrained resources, the public and private sectors must join forces to revitalize their local urban communities. Public-private partnership means cooperation among individuals and organizations in the public and private sectors for mutual benefit. Such cooperation has two dimensions--the policy dimension and the operational…

In 1992, the U.S. Department of Labor and Council of Chief State School Officers awarded grants for the development of statewide systems to enhance school-to-work transition (SWT) through youth apprenticeship in eight states: California, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In June 1993, the programs were…

Poverty, violence, illegal drugs, and despair dominate the lives of many inner-city children, most of whom are Black and Hispanic. To reverse the social and economic decline of poor neighborhoods in major metropolitan areas, the State of New York has embraced an agenda, outlined here, for rebuilding high-need inner-city communities. (Author/BJV)